Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe

Is your garden overrun with zucchini? This Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe is for you.

Zucchini ribbons, pickling brine and a day or two in the fridge produce the most amazing quick zucchini pickles ever. Perfect topping for burgers and sandwiches.

Pickled Eggs is still my most popular recipe on the blog. If you have read that post, you would know I am NOT a canner/preserver per say. Quick pickles are my way to a great tasting condiment. This zucchini pickle recipe is super easy. After all, this time of year you can never have too many ways to use the harvest. Although they are delicious, we can only eat so many zucchini muffins.

How To Make Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini

Easy zucchini pickles are perfect for people (like me) that don’t want all the work involved in the traditional canning method.

• Slice the zucchini into ribbons.
• Remove excess liquid (see recipe).
• Boil brine (this takes 5 minutes).
• Pack zucchini into jars.
• Add brine.
• Put the lid on the jar.
• Place in refrigerator.
• In a few days, you will have pickled zucchini.

Quick zucchini pickles are not like fermented pickles (the traditional canning method). Refrigerator pickles will last about 2 months. I have a pickled onion recipe you might like to try as well.

To cut the zucchini into ribbons I used a spiralizer. Do you have one? This really is a fun kitchen gadget. I will include a link below for the one I use. It is great for making zoodles too. Greek Zoodle Salad is a favourite around here. If you are looking to cut some carbs out of your diet, try Zucchini Noodles with Shrimp for an easy weeknight dinner. Have you tried Zucchini Gazpacho?

Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Tips

1. There are a few tips to make sure your zucchini refrigerator pickles turn out perfect.
2. Prepare the jars and lids (wash with hot, soapy water, rinse and dry).
3. I even poured boiling water in mine just to make sure I got all the soap out.
4. Wash and dry the zucchini before slicing.
5. Tightly pack the ribbons into jars (leaving a bit of room at the top).
6. Pour the HOT brine into the packed jars (chances are you will have extra brine).
7. Lightly tap the jars to remove air bubbles, and top off with additional brine.
8. Tightly seal the jars.
9. Let the jars cool before placing in the refrigerator.
10. Refrigerate for at least 48 hours before eating (pickles improve with age).

Feel free to experiment with the brine. Some recipes will use equal amounts of vinegar and water.  For this pickled zucchini recipe, I used more vinegar than water.

The type of vinegar you use will produce different results as well. I used rice wine vinegar, but you can experiment with white vinegar, cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or a combination. It is best to avoid concentrated kinds of vinegar like malt or balsamic.

I did not include salt in my brine (but feel free to add some) since I used salt to remove excess liquid in the zucchini ribbons before placing them in the jar. I added a small amount of sugar, but you can omit that if you like.

Pickling spice is the flavouring in this recipe. Feel free to experiment with fresh herbs such as dill, thyme or rosemary (add them to jar before pouring in the brine). Whole spices such as mustard seed, peppercorns or chili flakes work great in the brine (especially if you want to add a bit of spicy heat). If you like garlic, by all means, add that too.

So there you have it, my version of quick Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini. Super easy to make, even if you have never made pickles before.

After a week in the fridge, I was eager to see how these tasted. Hubby grilled up some Octoberfest sausages for the taste test. I stuffed a bun with that juicy sausage, topped it with honey mustard, and piled on these zucchini pickles. WOW! They had a nice tang, and I think they are the perfect alternative to sauerkraut.

If your garden runneth over with zucchini, make these quick pickled zucchini ribbons. HINT they make a GREAT food gift too.

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Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini Recipe

Zucchini sliced into ribbons, with the help of some brine make the most delicious Refrigerator Pickled Zucchini you have ever tasted. Super easy, even a novice can make pickles in no time.

5 from 40 votes

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Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Canadian

Keyword: quick pickles

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 20 servings

Calories: 13kcal

Author: Homemade & Yummy

Ingredients

• 25 ounces zucchini (sliced into ribbons)
• 1 tsp Kosher salt

For the Brine:

• 1 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp pickling spice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare The Jars:

• Wash jars and lids with hot soapy water and rinse well.
• You can also then pour boiling water into the jars to ensure all the soup is out.
• Let air dry, or dry with a cloth.

To Prepare The Zucchini:

• Wash and dry zucchini.
• Slice into ribbons.
• Place in a colander, sprinkle with salt, mix with your hands to distribute.  
• Let sit for 10-15 minutes to drain excess liquid.
• DO NOT RINSE (that is why I did not add salt to the brine).
• Place zucchini ribbons in a kitchen towel, and squeeze to drain the liquid.
• Pack tightly into jars, leaving a bit of room at the top.

To Make The Brine:

• Combine vinegar, water, sugar and pickling spice into a small pot.
• Bring to a boil, and boil for about 2 minutes (to dissolve the sugar).
• Remove from heat, and let cool for a couple of minutes.
• Pour over the zucchini ribbons in the jar. (I used a knife to move the zucchini a bit so the brine could get all the way down and around the zucchini.)
• Be sure to add some of the pickling spice throughout the jar.
• Tap the jar slightly to release any air bubbles. You will likely be able to add a bit more brine to the jar at this point.
• Tightly seal.
• Let cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator.
• Let sit in the fridge for at least 48 hours (the longer the better).
• ENJOY!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 13kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 92mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1.4% | Vitamin C: 7.8% | Calcium: 0.7% | Iron: 0.8%

Notes

You will likely end up with more brine than you will need.

This recipe made 1 jar!